{"id":34540,"date":"2022-11-17T03:30:42","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T11:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=34540"},"modified":"2022-11-10T10:58:19","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T18:58:19","slug":"november-17-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2022\/11\/17\/november-17-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"November 17, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Established a Stronghold<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThrough the praise of children and infants You have established a stronghold against Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.\u201d <\/em>Psalm 8:2<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>I used to say that if our children feel like a burden to us, then something is wrong.\u00a0 After all, God calls them \u201ca blessing.\u201d \u201cChildren are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him\u201d <\/em>(Psalm 127:3).<\/p>\n

If God calls them a blessing, let us not think of them as burdens. But then yesterday I had this thought: What if a blessing comes in the form of a burden?<\/p>\n

\u201cCome to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light\u201d <\/em>(Matthew 11:28-30).<\/p>\n

Raise your hand if you have ever been nine months pregnant, feeling weary and burdened? Yet you would choose to endure this discomfort, because of the love you have for this child; you realize what a gift you have been given; you can\u2019t wait to hold this baby. But first, you will have to endure labor.<\/p>\n

Birthing the baby is only the beginning of labor pains. Motherhood is not a light and easy task, and no matter how many children you may have, it does not get any easier.<\/p>\n

So then I ask, \u201cWho is this easy for, LORD? Is this job supposed to be easy for ME?\u201d<\/p>\n

And I feel like His answer is, \u201cNo, but it\u2019s easy for Me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh.<\/p>\n

So lean into Jesus for each new challenge, because this difficult task is easy for Him.\u00a0 He will direct the parenting of your individual children.<\/p>\n

Last year I was reading through Psalm 8 and it was like verse 2 was highlighted for me, as if I was reading it for the first time ever. Psalm 8:2 tells us that when our children and infants praise the LORD, it is a stronghold against the enemy. It SILENCES the foe and the avenger. I never even realized that infants can praise the LORD! Isn\u2019t this amazing? So the one piece of advice I have is that in addition to teaching your children about God and His Word, play hymns and spiritual songs in your home, and teach them to your children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, but my children are grown,\u201d you may be saying. Or, \u201cI don\u2019t have any children!\u201d\u00a0 Well, aren\u2019t we ALL God\u2019s children, no matter our age? Jesus even said, \u201c\u2026Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven\u201d <\/em>(Matthew 18:3).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>So praise the LORD. It is never too late and you are never too young to praise Him.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Dear Heavenly Father, may we always praise You, and teach our babies and children to praise You, too. In Jesus\u2019 name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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